Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-30

The Garfield bronze statue erected by the Society
OF the Army OF the Cumberland is now In place In
Maryland Circle, opposite the Maryland avenue
entrance Of the West Capitol Park. The figure OF
Garfield on its granite pedestal is now wrapped In
covering OF CLOTH through which, however, the
outlines the and form can be deserted
| 1t will be formally unveiled on the 18th of May.
The movement for the erection of a monument
to the memory OF Gen. Garfield had its inception
| on the day OF his death. The Society OF the Army
| or the Cumberland, OF which Gen. Garfield was a
bright and conspicuous member had met in
annual reunion at Chattanooga. Tenn. It was
meeting o1,spec1al interests, as the ex-Confeder-
ates OF that region. in which the Army OF the
Cumberland fought its battles and won its fame,
| Its reunion In their midst. They wanted to meet
the men they had fought On SO many battle-flelds
In soeial lntercourse Gen. Garfield heartily ap-
proved OF this reunion of soldiers OF both sides,
and had promised to be present; but he was
| stricken down by the assassin's bullet. and the
| news OF his death.
THE FIRST SUGGESTION
| OF stone In commemoration OF Gen. Garfield was
contained in the following telegram from Gen. r.
D. Mussey OF this city, to the society in session at
Chattanooga: washington members propose
Monument by our society,"" This dispatch was
dated september 81, 1881, and the suggestion was
promptly adopted by the society. The Tennessee
| members offered block OF Tennessee marble for
the purpose. and finally the duty OF having it pre-
| pared and sent TO Washington was Committed to
see. Col Casey, when consulted about the matter,
said that instead OF block OF marble thin slab
or tablet, containing the inscription wanted, had
better be forwarded and that he would have it set
| In the monument, at the height it had reached
when Gen. Garfield died.
MONUMENT COMMITTEE,
| At the session OF the society, and Immediately
after the reading Of Gen. Musseys dispatch in
regard to the memorial stone, Lieut.. John B..
Ruhm OF Nashville, submitted resolutions which
were adopted: That committee Of nine members
be appointed by the president Of the society on or
before me 4h o. January next and that the said
cOmmlttee De designated as the Garfield Monu.
mental committee Of the Army of the Cumber-
land" 2 THAT 1t shall be the duty OF the COM
plan for the erection or monument to our late
comrade, Jas A. Garfield, at such place as the
society shall hereafter designate. 8. That the
committee shall. as soon after its appointment as
practicable, organize by the appointment OF
president secretary and treasurer, and by the
When duly orsanzed tSs ssid Thss
! shall be empowered to collect subscriptions Tor
the purposes OF said monument, and that the re-
port, heretofore ordered, to the next meeting
shall embrace statement OF collections made
and subscriptions obtained.
AT that meeting no further action was taken
The resolution gave until the fourth OF the fol-
lowing January for the appointment OF the COM
mittee, and the appointments We're made by letter
after the society adjourned.
The monument committee appointed nv the
president OF the society, consisted OF the Following
members: James Barnett, chairman; Henry Nj.
Robinson, j. G. Smith, j. G. ParEhursr Arson q.
McCook, John b. Ruhm and A. b. Underwood
This committee began operations Immediately
by sending out circulars calling attention to the
monument project and asking for contributions
AT the next annual meeting OF the society, held
at Milwaukee in 1882 Gen. Barnett, on behalf OF
the monument committee, called for full express
sion from the members present upon the mOnu-
ment subject. He said great deal OF work was
should enlist in it and urge the project through.
He did not want it to drag year alter year He
advised that every member take active part in
collecting funds for the monument.
On motion OF Judge Cochran, the treasurer Of the
society was Instructed TO over to the treasurer
OF the monument committee the moneys appropri-
ated by Congress for the monument fund.
WASHINGTON CHOSEN.
Gen. GrosvenOr submitted resolutions, which
were adopted, "that the action OF the GARFIELD
monument committee in selecting Washington as
the place for the location OF the monument be, and
the same is, hereby approved and ratified That
said committee proceed to take the necessary
steps to construct and erect said monument as
soon as, In their opinion, the necessary funds are
available Tor that purpose"
Gen. Grosvenor said that the committee was not
authorized to locate the monument, but it ascer-
tanned that no favorable action could be procured
from Congress until the site was finally desig-
mated. ThereupOn the committee took tie re-
SpOnstbility OF locating the monument at Wash
tngton. That action should be ratified. AS to the
second part OF his resolution, it Was de-
signed to push matters along as rapidly
as possible With the power the resolution pro-
report at the next meeting the special location of
the monument and to contract for It's erection.
Thus, Important time would be gained.
Gen. Mussey, as the only representative resident
OF Washington present, in behalf OF the citizens
OF Washington, invited all members OF the society
to be present at and take part in the Garfield
Monument fair, to be held On The 25th OF the epS,l-
ing November Gen. MuSSey urged the Society to
extend all the aid and encouragement possible to
the monument committee. One OF the most craft
tying features he said, in connection with the un-
derlaking, was the ed gerness and anxiety mani
tested by Southern States to contribute He said:
at simply illustrates the spirit that prevails in
that community, once. hostile to US now our best
friends" After further remarks showing the estI-
nation In which Garfield was held in the south
Gen. Mussey said: "You cannot tell how glad we
in Washington will be to see you we tried to
show you something OF it when the Thomas statue
was unveiled. The people OF that city love the
old v1rginian who was so great and did so wen for
the Union, and they will welcome you again as
you gather to do honor TO him, who also stands
high in their directions and, indeed they will bid
you welcome to their hearts in that city for the
whole city honors anyone who honors Garfield"
DESIGN ADOPTED.
At the next annual reunion of the society held
In Cincinnati in 1889, General Barnett OF the
Garfield Monument committee, submitted the fol-
lowing report:
"Your committee have been engaged since the
Milwaukee meeting in carrying Out the instruc.
lions OF the society concerning The erection OF the
given to the committee they have accented aftsr
due denberat1on, design prepared by Mr. j. Q. A.
Ward, the eminent artist who successfully a nd
satisfactorily modelled and erected the Thomas
monument. The price agreed upon for statue and
pedestal is $50, OOO payable on the Completion OF
the work and its acceptance by the committee.
We have collected from all sources the sum OF
S22, 1863. 13 which is on deposit and bearing four
per cent interest. (Here the banks OF deposit
were given-)
The committee have promises and assurances
from prominent members OF Congress that the
sum OF $4,000, which is the estimated price OF he
pedestal, will be appropriated in accordance with
precedentS on former like occasions This would
leave deficit OF $7,036.27, which Will have TO he
made up by further efforts OF the society and the
committee. We call upon the society to aid us i'm
raising this sum, and also to aid us by their in
their approval and vote for the appropriafio5
above mentioned" The committee renored that
the definite site depended upon Congressional oc
ton, and that it was contemplated that the work
should be finished in two years. The next annual
reunion OF the society was held at Rochester n
ument committee reported that the amount or
money collected for the monument and subject to
the order OF the society was $50, O9 Is That in
cluded interest up to date. The committees atan
reported that Congress had appropriated $40 oGn
towards the monument, which sum was in tho
hands OF Government accounting Officers; also,
that Congress had appointed a commission m
select site for the monument. The report AZ
serted that the committee would soon be 0bie fo
report the acceptance OF work OF art sattsfac
tory TO the committee and creditable tn the
| society.
THE CONTRACT MADE
This report was accepted. At the next ANNA,
reunion, help in Grand Rapids Mich, in 1855. the
Garfield Monument Committee reported that a
contract had been closed with Mr. j. O. A. Ward
the artist OF the society, for the erection of the